This invention relates to the art of videophones, and more particularly, a method and system for an improved videophone user interface.
The concept of integrating video communication with audio communication traditionally provided by the telephone is old. Back in the 1960s a xe2x80x9cpicture phonexe2x80x9d by which both audio and video were bidirectionally communicated between local and remote stations was introduced. These early picture phones added a television camera, a television transmitter and receiver, and a television monitor to the existing telephone assembly. In order to transceive (that is, both transmit and receive) audio and video, a dedicated high-capacity telephone line having a bandwidth adequate for bidirectional communication between the local and remote stations was required. In fact, a dedicated telephone line not generally available to the public, known as a T-3, was used. Hence, this picture phone was futuristic and considered cost prohibitive for widespread commercial deployment. Some time later, audio and video communication between local and remote stations appeared in the form of xe2x80x9cvideo teleconferencing.xe2x80x9d Video teleconferencing systems typically require dedicated local and remote rooms. Generally, these video teleconferencing systems have evolved to comprise a video camera connected to a video processor which digitizes the video data, in turn connected to a communication controller for transmitting video over a high-capacity data communications link (a high-capacity digital telephone line, such as a T-1) leased from a common carrier. The video portion of the video teleconferencing system also comprises one or more television monitors connected to the video processor for displaying video. Recently, data compression techniques have been employed to render video transmission more efficient. For optimum audio quality and apparent synchronization between audio and video, audio is provided over another leased telephone line. Audio can be communicated over a standard telephone line, but audio quality is compromised (e.g., cross-talk, etc.). Also, synchronization between audio and video suffers not only because audio and video are being transceived by two different subsystems, but also due to propagation delay. Propagation delay is evident in visible loss of synchronization between audio and video, such as lip movement not synchronized with speech, especially if long distances are involved. In any event, audio and video are transceived over different telephone lines. Such video teleconferencing systems are commercially available from PictureTel Corporation of Peabody, Mass., and Compression Labs Inc. of San Jose, Calif., for example, but are priced at tens of thousands of dollars and are therefore affordable generally only by businesses, beyond the reach of the home consumer budget. Consequently, widespread deployment of these video teleconferencing systems has not occurred.
As an alternative to video teleconferencing, Matsushita Electric Ltd. introduced a still-image, black-and-white visual telephone in 1987. This visual telephone integrated a small video camera, video digitizer, communication controller, and cathode ray tube (CRT) display into a housing connected to either the same standard telephone line as the telephone assembly at each of the local and remote stations or to a second standard telephone line if the stations were equipped with two-line service. However, the system could not simultaneously exchange video snapshots between the local and remote stations, so the users at each end were required to coordinate video communication to avoid access conflicts. In any event, not only were audio and video non-simultaneous over the same telephone line, but only still video snapshots could be transceived, whereas true video teleconferencing provides motion video.
In recent years, a few Internet-based videophone systems, such as CU-Seeme, have appeared. These videophone systems require a user to have a camera and a personal computer (PC) coupled to the Internet. In order for the user to make or receive calls over the videophone system, the user must be located in the vicinity of the camera at the PC. Although this appears to be an attractive Internet-based application, it still requires the user to be located at the PC when making or receiving a call. Because most people place their PCs in separate rooms or in less frequently traveled locations in their house, it is inconvenient to make and receive calls, especially if they are not arranged in advance. Also, due to many people""s fears of PCs, these systems are not attractive products to many consumer.
Therefore, there exists a need for making a more user-friendly videophone system. The present invention is directed to overcoming the foregoing and other disadvantages. More specifically, the present invention is directed to providing a system and method, for improving videophone interaction.
A system and method for using a television as a videophone is provided. The present invention allows a user to experience videophone functions on any television in their house.
The system includes a television system, a personal computer transceiver and a personal computer that is coupled to a communications network. The television system includes a camera, a microphone, a wireless receiver for wirelessly receiving audio and video signals, a signal processor for processing the received audio and video signals for presentation on a television. The personal computer transceiver includes a receiver for wirelessly receiving audio and video signals from the television system, and a transmitter for wirelessly sending audio and video signals to the television system. The personal computer, which is coupled to the personal computer transceiver, includes a memory and a processor coupled to the memory and in communication with the communications network and the transceiver. The memory includes stored program instructions that are executed by the processor for receiving audio and video data over the communications network, for receiving audio and video data from the personal computer transceiver, and for sending the audio and video data received from the personal computer transceiver to a recipient system over the communications network.
In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, the camera, the microphone and the transmitter are included in a stand-alone unit.
In accordance with a still further aspect of the invention, the system includes a remote control device for generating control signals. The remote control device includes an input device and a transmitter. The remote control device transmits control signals as UHF or infrared signals.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the input device of the remote control includes a microphone for including a voice command in the control signal. The processor component comprises a voice recognition component for processing voice commands included in a control signal.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, the television system includes a second transmitter for wirelessly transmitting the control signal to the television, if it is determined that the control signal is for the television. The second wireless transmitter is an infrared transmitter.
In accordance with still yet another aspect of the invention, the processor component includes a decompression component for decompressing compressed audio and video data received over the communications network and a compression component for compressing the audio and video data received from the television system through the personal computer transceiver before sending over the communications network.
In accordance with still yet another aspect of the invention, the wireless communication between the television system and the transceiver is in the 2.3 and 2.5 GHz range.
In accordance with still yet another aspect of the invention, the audio and video data is streamed in real-time.
As will be readily appreciated from the foregoing summary, the invention provides a system and method for allowing a user to experience videophone functions on any television in their house.